2014 NCAA Tournament Dark Horse Predictions

Started by Cheesehead Henry, November 10, 2014, 10:16:17 PM

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Cheesehead Henry

Obviously there are the frontrunners of Messiah, Oneonta, and Wheaton, but what are everybody's predictions for underrated teams who have the ability and potential to make a run?

Concordantly, how about teams who just might be making early exits that people wouldn't expect?

GarbageGoals33

Dark Horse: Gustavus. They have the offensive tools to make a deep run. They are riding a red hot keeper. If their defense continues putting forth solid performances they will be competing in every game. The MIAC has had limited success in recent years, these GAC seniors have played in 3 consecutive NCAA tournaments.

Potential upset: Trinity (Tx). One loss team, not hosting, in a quadrant with the team that gave them their loss.

Knighthaws

Garbagegoals, as a Wartburg faithful I was relieved when GAC wasn't put into Wartburg's pod.

casualfan

I'm going to go with a first round GAC loss to Dominican. The MIAC has not done well in the tourney for a number of years and this year will be no different. Dominican has shown success in the past in the tournament and have some very experienced players as well.

My dark horses for the Midwest region, which is what I'm most familiar with, are Chicago & Dominican.

Saint of Old

Cortland St. is having almost the same season Oneonta had in 2011. I would not be too surprised to see these boyz make a deep run as well.

D3Soceerfan

Babson/Cortland . Wouldnt be surprised if they make a run and potentially beat Messiah.(yes a tall order i know)


lastguyoffthebench


Can Babson handle the pace of Newark?   I do not see Newark losing that one... 

MSU did lose at Cortland this year.  If I had to say who is better MSU or Newark it's a close call.  MSU has more firepower and is way more dangerous in the offensive third, but Newark is the more complete team.   After choking vs Roger Williams last year in their first ever NCAA appearance, I think they could be poised to make a run.

My dark horse would be the obvious choice of Rochester. 

Tufts would be my second team.  They should be able to beat a Dickinson team that has struggled as of late, and then beat another Centennial school, Muhlenberg.    I think Catholic will best Coast Guard in OT.  I can also see North Park as a dark horse in their quadrant.


D3Soceerfan

Babson just handled the pace of Wheaton, who many considered to be among the best in the nation with the likes of Blair and Co.

I like their chances in this one but see it as an open game that could be unusually high scoring

lastguyoffthebench

#8
I remember in 2011 when Camden was shipped up to the NE/East to play Babson (who had a 19 or 20 game unbeaten streak) @ SLU and won 1-0.   The game is still on youtube.     

I asked on the forum for comparison of the 2011 Oneonta St vs current Oneonta St team.   In 2011, Oneonta St handled Calvin, but Vegter came in and buried his chances.    The one middy from Oneonta St. hit a rocket from 25 out a few minutes into the game, but then they struggled to defend said beast, Vegter in the box letting up 4 unanswered goals on very few opportunities.


http://www.ncaa.com/video/soccer-men/2011-12-03/calvin-takes-down-oneonta-state-advance

D3Soceerfan

agree, was at the Camden Babson game at SLU.. Felt Babson should have won that but didnt take their chances..

Babson's defense has seemed to fixed the leaks it had earlier in the year and seem to be finding scrappy goals.

Not sure anyone wants to make it out of this pod tho as Messiah awaits

PaulNewman

Quote from: lastguyoffthebench on November 11, 2014, 11:49:34 AM

Can Babson handle the pace of Newark?   I do not see Newark losing that one... 

MSU did lose at Cortland this year.  If I had to say who is better MSU or Newark it's a close call.  MSU has more firepower and is way more dangerous in the offensive third, but Newark is the more complete team.   After choking vs Roger Williams last year in their first ever NCAA appearance, I think they could be poised to make a run.

My dark horse would be the obvious choice of Rochester. 

Tufts would be my second team.  They should be able to beat a Dickinson team that has struggled as of late, and then beat another Centennial school, Muhlenberg.    I think Catholic will best Coast Guard in OT.  I can also see North Park as a dark horse in their quadrant.

Yeah, as a Kenyon supporter North Park is worrisome...a dangerous, unfamiliar, sort of unknown team.  And because the Calvin/OWU pod is Fri/Sat Kenyon would know who is waiting and could get caught looking ahead (especially if it is OWU).

PaulNewman

Babson has had a sneakily and under the radar fantastic season.  I had to do a double take when I saw their record is 17-5.  Seems like they were 11-5 about a week ago.  And a great achievement for them winning a tough NEWMAC tournament this year.  Especially since home field landed in their lap I could see them getting by Newark (although I'm picking Newark), but I'm guessing Cortland even at home would be too much for them.  As for Messiah and Babson I see that as a 5-6 goals win for the Falcons.  I see Cortland in that group as having the best chance of dragging Messiah through a 0-0 or 1-0 game.

wingtips2

I've got Wartburg going to the Elite 8.  From what I've read and (albeit limited) seen, they have the style of a team that can grind out some results in the tourney.  As was said elsewhere, though, which team shows up will be the difference maker.

I see a Whitworth/Christopher Newport matchup in the round of 16.  Whitworth has been totally unmentioned by anybody on these boards while a team they beat away from home (Wheaton) is being quoted as a lock in the first few rounds.   
CN had a bad patch in mid/late October but they corrected themselves and avenged their three bad results in the conference tourney - a good sign for a team heading into the tourney.

PaulNewman

wingtips2, another team that hardly ever gets mentioned, especially for an East Coast/Mid-Atlantic team is Muhlenberg.  And I think you could be right about Whitworth.  I haven't seen any evidence that Emory can score goals.

Mr.Right

You think some UAA teams are anemic upfront? Just watch Babson if Laurenzo is shut down. Babson is capable of parking the bus against better teams but will have a hard time scoring against quality sides